The Senate overwhelmingly approved a $46 billion plan to sharply increase federal law enforcement efforts at the U.S. border with Mexico, in a move aimed at winning bipartisan passage of a comprehensive immigration bill.
In addition to having implications for Social Security benefits, child care rights and retirement planning, the high court?s ruling that the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional might mean a check from Uncle Sam. Couples may be able to amend prior years? tax returns to receive bigger refunds now that their marriages are recognized by the federal government.
In significant but incomplete victories for gay rights, the Supreme Court struck down a provision of a federal law denying federal benefits to married gay couples and cleared the way for the resumption of same-sex marriage in California.